July 17, 2010
Do ground bees damage house?
Are all carpenter bees about 1/2 inch big?
GROUND BEES are a somewhat “generic” term used to describe a wide range of bees and wasps that nest in the ground. There are hundreds of species that nest in this location and though some can cause problems on or around the home, none can do damage like CARPENTER BEES. Remember, Carpenter Bees are literally drilling holes through siding, soffits and other exposed wood where they find it vulnerable. These holes are for nesting; the bees aren’t eating the wood.
Ground wasps and bees are actually nesting in the ground and even in cases where there are thousands of such nests, I’ve never seen it get so extreme that it poses a hazard to or undermines a structure. So even with the wide range of bee and wasp species that could be nesting in the ground, I think it’s safe to say very few if any might do damage to homes or other structures.
Regarding the size of carpenter bees; this does vary on region and species. Here in the United States, we have a few species which are most common. These range in size from 1/2″ to 1.5″. However, the most common adult males range from 3/4″ to 1″ and females of these common species will be slightly bigger.
Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:
Bumble Bee Control: www.bugspray.com/articles99/bumblebees.html
Ground or Digger Wasp Control: www.bugspray.com/articles99/diggerwasps.html
Carpenter Bee Control: www.carpenterbees.com/carpenter-bee-control
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